Ancient Javanese shadow drama set for English performance

By Ton Bintoro

JAKARTA (JP): The scene is set. The tree of life spins around and is planted upright in the middle of the screen. The music begins with a trance-like beat. And so dawns a drama from an ancient time, where the shadow world is not separate from the material world.

Wayang kulit (leather puppet or shadow puppet) is an ancient Javanese art form dating from before the 9th century B.C.; before the influence of India reached the Indonesian archipelago. The shadow play was probably used in rituals connected with fertility, communing with the Gods or ancestors, and guiding the soul to the afterlife. With the arrival of Hinduism from India, the Ramayana and Mahabrata epics were incorporated into the existing wayang forms.

According to David Irvine's Leather Gods & Wooden Heroes, Java's Classical Wayang, the standard wayang stories are divided into four themes tracing wayang kulit's development through history. The Jawa Dewa cycle relates the exploits of the original Javanese gods and legendary heroes. The Arjuna Sasrabahu cycle introduces the characters that provide a background to the Ramayana cycle. The Ramayana cycle is based on the great epic Ramayana about the abduction of Sinta and the efforts of Rama to rescue her. And the Mahabrata tells of the battle for the kingdom of Hastina between the Pandawa brothers and the Korawa brothers.

These cycles reflect wayang kulit's ability to adapt and to draw on new characteristics from a changing environment without losing its philosophical essence. But what relevance could this traditional art form steeped in traditional Javanese philosophy and Javanese Hinduism possibly have for foreigners?

On Saturday, Nov. 7, at 7:30 p.m. at Erasmus Huis, South Jakarta, Swamintaya will attempt to answer this question by performing the story of Bhisma Dewabrata in English. This story relates the life of Bhisma, a central character from the Mahabrata, faced with the dilemma of pursuing his own desires or playing out the role that destiny handed him.

Swamintaya chose this story because, he said, "the Mahabrata is the basic story of wayang in Java. This will give everybody an understanding," and "to introduce some basic messages through the performance, for instance peace and cooperation between different cultures."

Swamintaya works at PT Merck in the marketing department, he performs wayang kulit in his spare time.

Traditionally, the dalang (storyteller) functioned as a medium between the shadow world and this world. In this performance, Swamintaya is an intermediary between two worlds also, the East and the West.

What relevance could this ancient story have for people in modern society?

Swamintaya said that Bhisma Dewabrata is a crown prince who had no ambition to become king, although by right he was entitled to do so, but instead decided to become a monk.

"Bhisma has a spectacular character, for whereas in present day, many people are attracted to the pleasures of the world, Bhisma chose to take up a life in the monastery, abandoning the pleasures of the world."

Swamintaya will have a challenge performing the wayang kulit in English because it is usually performed in Javanese and Kawi (a sacred Javanese language based on Sanskrit).

"In performing for a western audience, there is the difficulty of expressing Javanese philosophy in a western way -- Javanese philosophy is difficult to translate literally, so it must be translated freely, adapting to the present situation."

Swamintaya maintained, however, that performing wayang in English does not necessarily detract from the essence of the original art form.

"The meaning is not lost, just different," he said. "The Beatles' song Yesterday, sung by The Beatles, Frank Sinatra, Shirley Bassy, Engelbert Humperdink and even Tom Jones, is still the same song, it is just the way it is sung which changes."

The Mahabrata consists of 150 lakons (episodes), and usually about nine hours in length. Swamintaya will be focusing on the life of Bhisma as told throughout this epic but will condense the performance to a few hours. He will also include the Hasta Brata from the Ramayana.

"Hasta Brata has been used as guidance by kings for many centuries. It is not found in Indian philosophy but was written by a Javanese court poet in the 18th century."

Wayang has survived many obstacles, and now it must compete with movies, television and other forms of modern entertainment, possibly the greatest of any obstacles it has faced so far. So what does the future hold for wayang?

"With the current economic problems, wayang will run slowly but wayang has persisted for more than 15 centuries in this country and it will last, as long as the dalang can present it in an interesting way," Swamintaya said.

"I am optimistic. I am sure wayang will become better".